Author: Tammy Phillips

by Tammy Phillips
April 26,2024 (repost from April 30, 2021)

Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:7-8 KJV)

PREPARED means made suitable; made ready; to put in a proper state of mind; to work out the details of a plan in advance; to put together. Pretty much prepared means ready, set, go.

A wedding does not just happen.  It takes tons of preparation, including sleepless nights, endless phone calls, a multitude of decisions, lists and meetings.  It has been 465 days since Mary Claire, my daughter in love to be,  took the first step to becoming a bride.  First, she said yes to my son, Brayden’s proposal.  Next, she picked  the perfect wedding dress.  She has worked out the myriad of details with her mom’s help.  She had spent time with Brayden getting to know him better and also making final choices about the specifics of the wedding.  She has, all the while, done everything to transform herself into the perfect bride for our son.  Tomorrow, she will take the final steps.  She will spend most of the day putting herself together to meet her groom. The last things she will do is to put on the dress.  She will be fully prepared.  She will be a picture of perfection without spot or blemish. She will be so excited and glowing for her groom.  I know that without a doubt Mary Claire will be ready, set and will go down the aisle, walking into her eternity with our son.  

Are your excited?  Are you glowing for your groom?  The marriage of the Lamb is coming.  Just like Mary Claire and Brayden’s long-awaited day is coming, Jesus is coming for His bride.  Invitations have been sent out.  Are your prepared for the wedding feast?  Have you accepted the invitation? Have you said yes to Christ who loves you and gave Himself up for you, so that He might sanctify, transform and cleanse you by the washing of water with the word?  Have you said yes so that God may prepare you to be a perfect bride for His Son, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that you would be holy and blameless? Have you arrayed yourself in the fine linen which is the righteousness of Christ? 

It all starts with a “yes” and a complete surrender to Jesus, but it is does not end there. 

I enCOURAGE you to first, say yes.  Then get ready, get set and go.  Prepare yourself to meet the Groom, Jesus Christ.  Wash yourself in the word.  Spend time with the Lord.  Get to know Him better.  Don’t be caught ill prepared.  Don’t be all coy in saying “yes.”  The Groom will not wait forever.  However, He is patient, kind and all loving.  Are you ready for Him?  He has been waiting and preparing for you.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1-2)

by Tammy Phillips
April 25, 2024, a repost from September 13, 2020

“Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44 NKJV)

On January 21, 1999, at 4:15 AM, an F-3 tornado with winds in excess of 160 mph made its way through downtown Clarksville, Tennessee. It destroyed over 120 buildings and damaged 560 others. Praise God; there were no deaths. I am not sure that Kris and I did not sleep through it. We were not prepared for it.

I will never forget.  Around breakfast time, Kris’ boss, Tres Mullis, dropped by the house with a bandana wrapped head. He looked a little disheveled.   This was way out of character for him.  He was a well-kept young man who was always dressed impeccably.   At first, I would not let him in the front door.  Brayden was 4 and Parker, almost 2.  Our toddler ravaged house looked like the tornado’s path had gone directly through the center of our home.  Sadly, Tres challenged me with magnitude of what had just happened to gain entrance.  I was mortified.  I was not ready!  I did not want to see the mess nor was I ready for anyone else to see it.  

Jesus told us in Matthew 24:44 , “BE READY.”

Was the father who chose to ride his motorcycle to the lake to meet his family and friends, but instead had a fatal accident, ready?

Was the mother who was on a beach trip with girlfriends, who waded into the ocean to save another, ready?

Was the husband who was enjoying a day on a sailboat, who fell off and passed, ready?

Was the man who did not make it to his car because his heart stopped, ready?

Were the many young sons and daughters who died to early… ready?

These lives ended without notice. Life is precious. I pray for each of these families. I know these are hard and painful questions. My heart is pounding because I have been asking myself this question, “Are YOU ready?” Are you prepared? Are my family and friends ready? All of the people I mentioned above are people we knew and who have recently passed. I am asking you this question, “Are you ready?” I am begging you, and challenging me, with the words of Jesus…BE READY. BE PREPARED.

If you have not heard, I will remind you. God loves us so much. He sent Jesus His Only Son to die for us. (Romans 5:8) He died a horrible death to pay for our wrongs and buy back our eternal life. The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NKJV) For all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NKJV) He rose again so that we can LIVE eternally with Him. The only way to God is through Jesus. All we have to do ask His forgiveness and REPENT, change our mind and run into His arms. We must choose Him as our SAVIOR AND LORD. If He is not LORD in our life, He is probably not our Savior either.

If you do not intimately know Him …

If you do not have a personal relationship with Him…

If you do not do the will of Father God…

If your do not spend time with Him…

If you do not read His word and do it…

If you do not pray with Him…

Do you really know Him?

Are you really prepared to meet Him?

ARE YOU READY? When you meet Jesus face to face, don’t be this person…

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”. (Matthew 7:21 NKJV)

I enCOURAGE and I mean strongly encourage you to ask yourself, “ARE YOUR READY?” Death is imminent. It seems to approach faster and faster. It arrives unexpectantly. Jesus IS coming. God warned us to be ready, to watch and pray. I love you, but He loves you more!!! ARE YOU READY? Only you know. Choose Jesus today and every day! It is not a “one and done” salvation. It is work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Satan know who Jesus is, but he does not live for him. It is daily choosing Jesus.

 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13 NKJV)

by Tammy Phillips
April 24, 2024, from April 24, 2023

“God’s timing is perfect!  I originally posted this exactly one  year ago today.  Baby Jack’s arrival  was worth the postponement and better than any getaway.  I am elated that we can sneak this adventure in before the birth of our second grandbaby or we would be postponing again.  I am ready and leave for our trip very soon.

Are you ready for the journey at the end of your life hear on earth?”  -Tammy

“You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  (Luke 12:40 CSB)

My husband, Kris and I will celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary this summer, but more importantly we are expecting our first grandchild.  We have organically postponed a big trip because we want to be ready, present, and around for the arrival of baby Jack. 

I am a planner! When departure day for the trip finally arrives, I want every detail planned so that I can enjoy the vacation. I have prepared for our get-a-way since we determined our destination. I have tirelessly searched and narrowed down the perfect place to stay. I have booked our flights: the best day, time, and most cost efficient. I have scheduled parking and booked our rental car. I have even chosen the restaurants where we will dine and made reservations. I have organized our daily agenda, even if that means just sitting on the beach. I do not want to miss anything our destination promises. I have studied, prepared and I will have a complete itinerary. Our bags will be packed. I will be ready when departure day arrives so that I can simply enjoy the ride without fretting.

Jesus tells us to BE READY for our departure day and His return.  Have you spent as much time preparing for His return as I have for our trip?   Is your head in the sand ignoring the signs of the times or are you ready?  Do you know the signs that He told us about in the Bible to give us a heads up and make us ready for the journey of a life with Him to paradise?

Jesus says, “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”  (Mat 25:13 CSB). “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.” (Luke 21:20 NKJV).  “But when these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”  (Luke 21:28 CSB)

Have you seen the news lately about Israel and the world?   Do you know the “things” Jesus  talks about in Luke 21:28?  Do you care?

 You know how a song gets stuck in your head?  “Be ready” has been on replay in my mind for weeks.

I continue to mess up  in my life, as I have said many times, “I am not perfect.” However, Jesus was, is and will always be perfect.   I am forgiven and made right in Him, alone!  So, I am standing up.  My head is lifted up.  I am watching  and  I am waiting because I know my redemption is near. 

I enCOURAGE you to BE READY.   Get ready because the word of God says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ⁽²²⁾“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ⁽²³⁾ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Mat 7:21-23 NKJV).

I want you to KNOW Jesus. I want Jesus to know you.  I want Jesus to know me, and I want to know Him.  I want to know His voice when He makes the call to paradise.  I want to do His will.  I never want to hear Him say, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46 NKJV)

In the last book, last chapter and last few verses of the Bible, Jesus tells us, twice, “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work. … “Yes, I am coming soon.” (Rev 22:12, 20 CSB). Ready or not, He is coming.  Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 

Viva Magenta:  Live. Breathe. BE READY! 

By Tammy Philips
April 23, 2024

Saturday morning, I was driving down Memorial Drive Extension passing by the Johnsons house and then the Jenkins on the way to pick up Weed and Feed from Lowe’s. It was a gorgeous chilly spring day. The sky was solid blue absent of clouds and the grass was emerald green. The earth was a live and the birds were singing their praises. Out of nowhere and I mean nowhere, I heard from the Lord. I was not in a conversation with Him, but he had something to say to me…

Let me qualify. I know the Lord’s voice. I do not question His voice too many times. One day, I told the Lord that would rather be wrong than miss what the He was trying to accomplish.

Once, the Lord told me to buy a frying pan for someone I was going to visit. I thought I had really lost it that day. I stopped at Sam’s, bought the pan, and kept going. When I gave it to the person, he was in the kitchen cooking. He questioned why I gave it to him. I told him because the Lord told me. He said, “I have been looking for a pan online.” He was not a Kingdom kid yet. It was a weird kind of witness to him of God’s love and provision. He asked for a Mercedes next…

What did the Lord say to me on Saturday morning? In a quiet, still voice I heard the Lord say: “I am coming soon.” I questioned. “Lord, I know that you said that 2000 years ago. I have read this so many times. I am looking for you, but is this really you?” I heard again, “I am coming soon.” I responded, “Ok. What do you want me to do?” He said, “Tell them.”

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (Mat 24:36 NKJV)

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. “Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed [them] all. (Luke 17: 26-29 NKJV)

Jesus is coming. I am telling you because He told me. He told all. It is the last thing he told us in the Bible, “I am coming soon.” It might be today. It might be tomorrow. It might be 200 years from now. Just like our physical home needs to be ready for guests. Our spiritual house needs to be cleaned up and awaiting our Savior.

I enCOURAGE you to “take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 NKJV)

Gods’ word to me was confirmed when I walked into church and this was the message our preacher, Freddy T preached. CAN I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING? I was like… I HEAR YOU LORD…. Click on the link and give it a listen…Confirm you know where you are going, there is only one way, Jesus!

by Tammy Phillips
April 22, 2024

“Yes, I am coming soon!“ (Rev 22:20 NLT)

When someone tells you that they are coming to your house, what do you do?

1. You prepare for their coming if you have time.

2. You get your house in order, if you have things laying around in the wrong place.

3. Time permitting, you may even give it a clean from top to bottom.

4. You mow the yard or pick up leaves, depending on the season.

5. You expectantly wait for their arrival.

The very last thing that is recorded in the Bible from the mouth of Jesus,

“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’”(Rev 22:20 NLT)

He told us 2000 years ago that He was coming soon. Time to the Lord is different than our perception of time.

“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.” (2Pe 3:8 NLT)

If he has only been gone “two days,” he could call us home anytime.

ARE YOU READY? Will you know his voice when he calls? Do you know Jesus as Lord of YOUR life. I am not talking about Savior. Many think they know him as Savior, but do you KNOW him as Savior and Lord? Are you living like him? Are you loving like him? DO you follow him?

If you are living your life and doing your own thing, you should be questioning your eternal destiny.

I enCOURAGE you to get to know Jesus. He loves you with unfailing love. He wants to KNOW you. You are going to live forever in one place or another, choose Jesus. If you need an introduction, just contact me, I will be happy to introduce you.

by Tammy Phillips

April 15,2024

Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem.” (Luke 13:22 NLT)

Christians often think of Jesus as a Superman with superpowers. God is all powerful and almighty, but the word stepped from heaven into the feet of a baby who grew up to be a man, a human like you and me. He had to endure to win. He had to endure to the end. I do not believe there is anything Jesus asks us to do that he himself did not have to endure.

Right now, my “cross” to bear is self-discipline, exercise and making the right food choices. Woah. I have it so hard. NOT!

Jesus chose to go to the cross and take on all sin, death, filth, dirt, and darkness. He did not take off a day. He did not say, “I need a mental health day to deal with all this crap. I need a vacation before the cross.” He did not complain nor make excuses about not having time to pray, read the word or spend time with God. He worked all day every day and still got up early, went off and found time to pray. He kept exercising because he had to walk most places he went. He kept walking and going. They did not have cars, planes, nor trains. He kept on teaching and healing. He kept pressing on to Jerusalem. He KNEW what was waiting for him in Jerusalem. He kept pressing on to his destiny. He knew and kept pressing into his purpose and the plan to save the world. MY SUPERHERO! He led and showed us the way.

Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Author (Chief, Captain, Prince, Pioneer) and Finisher (Perfector, Completer, Goal Accomplisher and Champion) of our faith, who for the JOY that was set before Him ENDURED the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2 Tammy’s Interpretative Version)

FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, HE ENDURED!

What is your cross?

For the joy of goal weight, I must endure discipline, exercise, denial of “bad” food and the choice of right foods.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Mat 16:24 NKJV). Looking at the Greek meaning of words in this verse, I interpret it as follows:

If anyone wants to follow or come after me, you must deny yourself, turn from your selfish ways, set aside selfish interest, and TAKE UP YOUR CROSS (be willing to endure whatever…) and FOLLOW ME, join Me on the same road, be the same with Me, cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to Me, and die to self.

Jesus pressed on. Look how he responded to the Pharisees who told him to get out of town because Herod wanted to kill him:

“Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third [day] I shall be perfected.’”(Luke 13:31-32 NKJV).

Each day He kept pressing on, walking, working, teaching, casting out demons, healing, not quitting, not complaining, not whining, not compromising, enduring, standing, doing the right thing, focusing on the goal, dying to self, and completing his assignment.

Jesus was weak, tired, thirsty, betrayed, beaten, spit on, mocked, harassed, humiliated, insulted, sorrowful, shamed, slapped, scourged, stripped naked, and HE DID not want to, but he did. He did not give up. He did not quit. He kept his word. He kept on going all the way to and through the cross. Hallelujah! And we think we have it bad?

I enCOURAGE you to press on. Keep on! Hold on. Endure on. Follow Him! Pick up your cross and follow Him.

“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”(Luke 14:27 NKJV)

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it”. (Mat 10:38-39 NKJV)

Viva Magenta: Live. Breathe. Be pressing on!

by Tammy Phillips
April 8, 2024

The LORD will perfect [that which] concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, [endures] forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands. (Psa 138:8 NKJV)

Morning thoughts….“I AM NOT PERFECT. I know that is news for some of you. (laughing hard!). Lord, You made me. Don’t give up on me. I am your work in process.” – Tammy

Let me say it again. “I AM NOT PERFECT.” My confession is “ I AM BEING PERFECTED.”

I make mistakes, sin, and miss the mark, EVERY DAY. We all do, Christian and non-Christians.

For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. (Jas 3:2 AMP)

I am not a perfect daughter of God.
I am not a perfect wife to Kris.
I have not been a perfect mother to my boys.
I am not a perfect mother-in-law.
I am not a perfect daughter to my Mom, Dad, nor stepmom.
I am not a perfect sister-in-law, aunt, nor neighbor.
I am not a perfect friend.
I am not and have not been perfect! Do you know ANYONE that is besides Jesus?

I do not. Thank God for His grace, mercy, and lovingkindness. He sent Jesus here to pay for ALL our mistakes. He paid a debt He did not owe, and we could not pay.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you]. (1Pe 5:10 KJV)

If you are a follower of Christ, or you are following your own way, know this, as a follower of Christ, Christians are being changed (that is an action verb) into the image of Christ. It is Christ who makes us perfect. When children grow up, they grow up to be like their Mom and/or Dad. Christians grow into being like Christ. When we invite Jesus into our life after we recognize we are in need a Savior, He saves, heals, delivers, restores, repairs, completes, and perfects us. It is a lifelong process and project. There is no pill one can take to become perfect. The way of perfection is by following one man, Jesus. It is acting like He acted, talking like He talked, walking like He walked, loving like He loved, and doing what He did.

We are a life-long project of being perfected.

Let me tell you my truth, it is HARD TO LOVE like Jesus when you would rather cut someone with words. Jesus says, “love your enemies.” His word says to walk in love. His word says to crucify the flesh. (Gal 5:24)

Recently, I had to be in the presence of someone who is a liar, who has accused me of being a liar and has tried to harm my family with words. I felt sick at the thought of being in the same room with this individual, but duty called. The word of God of course showed up to help me decisively crucify my flesh and nail it: “Some people making cutting remarks, but the words of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs12:18) I am a spirit man, but I still live in a human body. When someone has hurt me or a loved one, my first thoughts are not toward bringing healing nor LOVING them, but My Lord calls me to love my enemies and to crucify my flesh.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk, (follow, keep in step, and get in line) with the Spirit. (Gal 5:25 Tammy’s Expounded Version )

It is not easy being perfected into the image of our heavenly Father. Transformation from a complete mess to perfectly complete is painful!

Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. (Phl 3:12 AMP)

I encourage you, next time you so quickly want to judge me or another for not doing, saying or being perfect, pause and remember, I AM NOT PERFECT, and neither are you. BUT GOD…as a Christian, I AM working on it.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:48 KJV)

Viva Magenta: Live. Breath. Be perfectly perfected.

 

 

 

by Tammy Phillips

March 29, 2024 (Repost of one of my faves from April 10, 2020)

“This do in remembrance of me.”  Luke 22:18

Jesus does not remind us one time in scripture to celebrate his birthday. Yet, we go all out at Christmas. He does not even tell us to celebrate the miracle of his resurrection. He did not throw a big party and neither did His disciples. He does tell us to REMEMBER his work on the cross. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26: “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he (Jesus) had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”

I give you at least two hundred and forty trillion reasons why Jesus told us to remember him. Stay with me.

According to the United Nations in March 2020, 7.8 billion people occupied earth. (2024 update: 8,100,216,500. +/-) If each person lived to be 80 years old and committed only an average of one sin per day, that calculates to about 30,000 sins in a life time. Remember, I am only calculating one sin per day. If we multiply, 7,800,000,000/2020 population of earth x 30,000/sins in a life time that equal 240,000,000,000,000 sins.

Two hundred and forty trillion sins.

Let’s be for real… that is not a realistic number.  It is pretty conservative.

Let’s calculate an average of five sins a day for eighty years.  (Before Jesus becomes Lord in your life that number is probably much higher.)  Eighty years equal twenty-nine thousand two hundred days.  29,200 days times 5 sins a day equals 146,000 sins in a lifetime. Round that number to 150,000.  Multiply 150,000 by 7.8 billion which equals 1,170,000,000,000,000!

One quadrillion, one hundred and seventy trillion sins

If this does not blow your mind, this number does not include past or future generations but only the current population on earth. Sadly, I think the sins of the earth rival the numbers of stars in the universe. Just say if each person in the United States tried to pay of that debt, we would each owe about $3,577,981.65.

But if you think that’s insane, think of lining up a trillion $1 bills end-to-end. They could reach the sun, 96,906,565 miles worth of dollar bills. If we equate sin to a dollar bill, Jesus would have to travel to the sun 230 to save us.  He did so much more than that.

Why does Jesus say remember me? Remember my death on the cross? Remember what my body and the blood shed for us? His sacrifice and death was priceless. IT WAS PRICELESS! It was a magnanimous. He paid debt we could not pay but he could. I apologize for talking so much about sin. However, I wanted to show how big the sin was to help illustrate how gargantuan what he did for us was. It cost him his life, his body, his blood.

Talk about pressure! Can you imagine the weight he felt the night and the morning before he walked to his death?  Think about how one sin feels in our spirit.

Why does Jesus say remember?  We take sin way to lightly.  We need to remember what it cost him before we choose to sin one more time.

I enCOURAGE you to join me in remembering what our Savior did for us. Remember, they laughed in his face. They mocked him. They spit in his face. They beat him unmercifully. They treated him as a criminal and he did nothing wrong. They crucified him. They hurled offenses at him as he hung in shame, dying for us all. He lovingly said, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” Remember, his body was broken and his blood was shed for you and I. We sent him to the cross as much as they did. One man, Jesus willingly went and took our place.

One body. One death paid for it all for all of us.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (Hebrews 12:2)

Thank you, Jesus!  Thank you, Father.  Thank you for your sacrifice on our behalf.  Thank you could never be enough.  Help us to sin no more!  Worthy is the Lamb!

Worthy is the Lamb by Hillsong (click link to get your praise on)

What Mercy Did For Me by People and Songs

Live. Breathe. Be Remembering!

by Tammy Phillips
March 25, 2023

O magnify the LORD with me and let us exalt his name together. (Psalms 34:3 KJV)

Just like an amplifier amplifies the strums of a guitar, David asks us to join him and magnify the Lord. The Hebrew translation of the word “magnify” is much more interesting than it’s English significance. The word is gadal which means to twist, as in a cord, to make firmer and stronger, or like wrestlers who twist their bodies together and grow stronger. David was saying let’s get together and make God more famous. Is that even possible? He is God.

David continues to say let us exalt and raise His name together. There is strength in numbers. “Together” is the Hebrew word, yahad, which means union of time and place. It comes from the root word that means united or joined together.

Along with David, I ask you to join me, united.

I enCOURAGE you to be a MAGNIFYING UNIT. He stepped out of heaven and became man only to love, live perfectly, be rejected, beaten, mocked, harassed, die a death we deserved and rise again in life eternal…all for us. He was hated so we could be loved. He was rejected so we could be accepted. He was beaten so we could be healed. He died so we could live, here, now, and forever with Him. Let’s strum our vocal cords together and spread the fame of our Lord.

by Tammy Phillips
March 19, 2024

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on…” (Colossians 3:12 CSB)

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith. (Matthew 6:30)

As children of God, we are called God’s chosen one, hole and beloved. Jesus loves us so much that he tells us, “do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.” (Luke 12:22 NKJV). He makes life easy for us. He tells us not to worry about what to put on. Sometimes what we have in mind to wear is NOT what God has in His store for us at all.

I used to wear black all the time with a little red. I wanted to fade into the background and remain unnoticeable. I wanted to cover everything inside and out. I really wanted to be invisible. In the physical and spiritual that was not God’s choice for me. I am a child of God, and He wants me to dress like abundant life instead of death. In His store are many departments. Let’s go shopping!!!

In the Romans 13:12 …

He tells us to put off the works of darkness and PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT. 
Put off drunkenness and drinking parties and Put on a sober mind.
Put off lust and  sexual immorality and put on purity.
Put off excessive consumption of food and put on self-control
Put off strife and quarreling and put on peace.
Put off envy and jealousy  and put on long suffering.
Put of getting hot and boiling and put on

Put off the flesh, cravings, longings, and lust. PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. (Romans 13:14)

In Ephesians…

Put off the old man which grows corrupt from desires of lust, deception, and greed.

Put off your former conduct, (Ephesians 4:22 NKJV)

PUT ON THE NEW MAN which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24 KJV)

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (Eph 4:23 NKJV)

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUROF GOD so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. and so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, stand. (Ephesians 6:11,14)

Put on the belt of truth buckled around your waist. (Ephesians 6:14)
Put on the breastplate of righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14)
Put on the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace for shoes. (Ephesians 6:15)
Put on the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)
Put on the helmet of salvation. (Ephesians 6:17)Put on the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and pray in the Spirit on all occasions
Put on alertness and keep on praying.(Ephesians 6:18)

In Colossians…

Put off whatever belongs to your earthly nature and old man. Put off sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.(Colossians 3:5)

Put off anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language from your lips and lying. Put off your old self with its practices. (Colossians 3:8-9) And…

PUT ON YOUR NEW MAN and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Colossians 3:10)

PUT ON AS THE CHOSEN AND ELECT OF GOD, holy and beloved…
Put on tender mercies and compassionate hearts.
Put on kindness.
Put on humbleness of mind, a deep sense of one’s littleness.
Put on meekness and gentleness.
Put on patience and longsuffering. (Colossians 3:12)

Put off hate and PUT ON LOVE, which is the bond of perfection and completion, above all these things. (Colossians 3:14)

I enCOURAGE you to shop in God’s store. Dress appropriately as a chosen, selected, and elected child of God. Put on the armor of light, the new man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the whole armor of God. Put on mercy, kindness, humbleness, gentleness, and patience. Above all, put on love. It covers a multitude of sins that need to be put off.

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God.
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, a
s a bridegroom decks [himself] with ornaments,
and as a bride adorns [herself] with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10 NKJV)